n blue pencil, as if to denote the
stages of a journey. The dates began in Europe, and continued right on
into Asia Minor and then south to Syria.

For a moment my heart jumped, for I thought I had fallen by accident on
the clue I wanted. But I never got that map examined. I heard
footsteps in the corridor, and very gently I let the map roll up and
turned away. When the door opened I was bending over the stove trying
to get a light for my pipe.

It was Gaudian, to bid me join him and Stumm in his study.

On our way there he put a kindly hand on my shoulder. I think he
thought I was bullied by Stumm and wanted to tell me that he was my
friend, and he had no other language than a pat on the back.

The soldier was in his old position with his elbows on the mantelpiece
and his formidable great jaw stuck out.

'Listen to me,' he said. 'Herr Gaudian and I are inclined to make use
of you. You may be a charlatan, in which case you will be in the devil
of a mess and have yourself to thank for it. If you are a rogue you
will have little scope for roguery. We will see to that. If you are a
fool, you will yourself suffer for it. But if you are a good man, you
will have a fair chance, and if you succeed we will not forget it.
Tomorrow I go home and you will come with me and get your orders.'

I made shift to stand at attention and salute.

Gaudian spoke in a pleasant voice, as if he wanted to atone for Stumm's
imperiousness. 'We are men who love our Fatherland, Herr Brandt,' he
said. 'You are not of that Fatherland, but at least you hate its
enemies. Therefore we are allies, and trust each other like allies.
Our victory is ordained by God, and we are none of us more than His
instruments.'

Stumm translated in a sentence, and his voice was quite solemn. He held
up his right hand and so did Gaudian, like a man taking an oath or a
parson blessing his congregation.

Then I realized something of the might of Germany. She produced good
and bad, cads and gentlemen, but she could put a bit of the fanatic
into them all.

CHAPTER SIX

The Indiscretions of the Same

I was standing stark naked next morning in that icy bedroom, trying to
bathe in about a quart of water, when Stumm entered. He strode up to
me and stared me in the face. I was half a head shorter than him to
begin with, and a man does not feel his stoutest when he has no
clothes, so he had the pull on me every way.

'I have reason to believe th